SEOUL and TAIPEI, January 26, 2017—Two groups of exceptional university women studying technology fields at top universities in South Korea and Taiwan were recognized and celebrated last week at the Qualcomm offices in Seoul and Taipei. Events were held on January 17th and 19th to announce the recent winners of the Women Enhancing Technology (WeTech) Qualcomm Global Scholars program award. Winners toured Qualcomm’s offices in the respective cities, learned about its science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) initiatives, and participated in team-building activities with their Qualcomm employee mentors.

More than 10 South Korean and more than 15 Taiwanese women were selected to receive a competitive scholarship in 2017 offered by the not-for-profit Institute of International Education and wireless technology company Qualcomm Incorporated as part of the WeTech initiative. The program was designed to help close the global gender gap in STEM industries. Launched in 2015, the program reaches across China, India, South Korea and Taiwan and connects university women in STEM together in a broader global network. In South Korea, the following universities participated in the 2016-2017 program: Ewha Women’s University, Hanyang University, Sookmyung Women’s University, and Soongsil University. In Taiwan, the following universities participated in the 2016-2017 program: National Cheng Kung University, National Chaio Tung University, National Taiwan University, and National Tsing Hua University.

“I am hoping to learn from my mentor about how to manage an engineering team, inspire/motivate other engineers, and negotiate with project managers and other business units,” said Jo-chi Chuang, scholarship recipient from National Tsing Hua University. “I am confident that I will learn a lot from my mentor in the six months, and hopefully beyond that. All the valuable insights will allow me to become a proven software engineer and/or a solid researcher.”

“With a new connectivity paradigm evolving in today’s world, Taiwan will need a community of individuals who are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and passion to transform our society and redefine the boundaries of what is possible,” said ST Liew, Vice President and President of Qualcomm Taiwan. “In addition to driving technology breakthroughs, this community will also become powerful drivers of sustainable economic development towards a truly connected future, generating tremendous impact on Taiwan and its mobile ecosystem.”

Since the inception of the program, more than 65 women have received financial scholarships, professional development opportunities, leadership training, and access to a network of industry mentors and peers through an intensive virtual mentorship. Each Global Scholar has been matched with an individual Qualcomm mentor over a six-month period, giving the students an important opportunity to gain academic experience, access to role models, and build professional skills preparing them for a globally competitive world. This holistic package of support further enhances the ability of women to elect a technical career after graduation and be poised to succeed in their field.

About WeTech

The Institute of International Education (IIE) created WeTech to help women and girls enter into and succeed in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education and careers, as a core part of its commitment to empower women. IIE joined with corporate partners who share this vision to launch WeTech at the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting. WeTech is led by IIE and its initiatives are carried out in India, Africa and the United States with a consortium that includes Goldman Sachs, Google and Qualcomm Incorporated as lead collaborators. Through its Center for Women's Leadership Initiatives, IIE provides opportunities for women worldwide to participate in cutting-edge training, professional development and exchange programs and pursue higher education. Its programs help women to develop and join networks of peers, mentors and experts and serve as effective leaders in the public and private sectors around the world.

About the Institute of International Education

The Institute of International Education (IIE) is the leader in providing international education strategies and program services. Our international approach to education—diverse, borderless, impactful—is a proven way for governments and companies to invest in global talent and solidify overseas relationships. We work with policymakers, educators and employers across the globe to prepare students and professionals for the global workforce and equip them to solve the increasingly complex challenges facing our interconnected world. An independent, not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of 19 offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,300 member institutions.

About Qualcomm Incorporated

Qualcomm Incorporated is a world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. Qualcomm Incorporated includes Qualcomm’s licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of its patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of Qualcomm’s engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of its products and services businesses, including its semiconductor business, QCT. For more than 30 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm's website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages. Learn more about the work Qualcomm and its project collaborators are doing.